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NBA FINALS: CAVALIERS vs WARRIORS

May 30, 2018

Kevin Durant

Oakland, California: Practice Day

Q. That was obviously, what you guys just went through was obviously, a Finals-caliber match-up between you and Houston. What has the process been like of resetting from the emotions that have to go into not just winning a Game 7 on the road but comeback like that and now getting ready for yet another series? What's that been like the last 48 hours?
KEVIN DURANT: Oh, it's been exciting that we got that opportunity to go through that, and also get out of it and being in The Finals again.

But we're not satisfied. Definitely glad we're playing still, but we want to finish the job. So we want to stay locked in and figure out just the best way to execute and win starting tomorrow.

It's kind of once you get that, put the hat on, and then you move on and get on the flight, you know you're not going back to Houston or playing them again, after that first day it sets in that you're in The Finals. So we're excited.

Q. After Game 7, Steph said there was a moment in the second quarter where he felt like things could have splintered with the team. There was a turnover, Harden had a dunk, had a timeout, and he felt like there could have been some serious finger pointing. We've seen that before with other teams. What was that moment like? Did you feel that? What got you guys through that?
KEVIN DURANT: Oh, we just talked it out. We didn't take it personal when guys had stuff to say. We moved past it pretty quickly, and knew what we had to do to get back into the game. Usually when stuff like that happens and you're in a tough situation and trying to figure your way out of it, you can go the other way and just blame -- put the blame on someone else and that just divides your team right there.

We came out the huddle as one. We might have walked into it separately, but we came out as one. I think that was a huge moment for us as a group going forward. Not just that night, but as a group going forward so we could look back on it and realize that we can pretty much get through anything if we talk it out, communicate, and realize that the goal is just to win. That's what happened in that game.

Q. Is it good for the NBA to have the same two teams in The Finals every year?
KEVIN DURANT: Yeah, I think it's great. I think it's great. You want me to elaborate?

Q. That would be great, if you could. Especially if you're one of the two teams, right?
KEVIN DURANT: Yeah. Well, you just get a great set of players on the court. I mean, it may not be as suspenseful as a lot of people want it to be or as drama filled, but that's what you've got movies and music for.

I think this is a great display of basketball on the court from both sides, and if you're a real lover of the game, you can enjoy how both teams play it, even though it may be different. It's still organic and true to the game, pure to the game. So if you enjoy basketball, I don't feel like you should have any complaints because it's a great set of players on both teams.

Q. In that vein, do you think about the chance for the Warriors to make history, with three in four years, possibly, as a way to be motivation against a team that most people feel is overmatched against you guys? And secondly, how does Cleveland change without Kyrie Irving here to help LeBron?
KEVIN DURANT: What was your first question again?

Q. Will history help you overcome any sense of this being an anticlimactic series after most people thought the Western Finals are the real championship series?
KEVIN DURANT: I just know you've got to play. Once the ball is tipped up, you've got to execute, and you've got to go with your Xs and Os, and you've got run your plays right. You've got to work out before practice and make sure you feel good in the games, individual players. That's the stuff I know about. The other stuff, it's kind of hard for me to talk about.

But I know everything that involves basketball, what goes into the game. I know that that's important and you have to do it every day if you want to win. If you don't want to get to this point, then you can half-ass through the year and not care as much.

But I think every player that's in this Finals right now, they care about basketball. That's the most important part, I think. Second question, I'm sorry?

Q. How different is this team without Kyrie and having rebooted in the middle of the season?
KEVIN DURANT: Oh, yeah, definitely a different identity, different team. Well, not identity, but just a different personnel from last year. I just think they still play a grind-out, physical basketball game. Obviously, it's centered around LeBron's talents and what he can do out there, but I think they've got a lot of good, complementary pieces around LeBron's game, but also guys that can go off, like Clarkson and George Hill that can kind of go off and do their own thing, as well, Jeff Green.

They've got a well-rounded team with a lot of athletic young guys, and it's different, obviously, without Ky in the mix as an all-world, elite specimen that he is. But it does present a different challenge for us that we've got to be focused in on.

Q. Last Finals we talked a lot to you about how you used to work out with LeBron back in the day and played him in The Finals when you were with the Thunder. But now what does his presence in the league mean to you in terms of just checking the boxscore or seeing what he's doing at this stage? Also, do you think looking back at that shot you hit in Game 3 with him closing out on you last year, your career's kind of like pre Game 3 and post Game 3?
KEVIN DURANT: No. No.

Q. How about the first question?
KEVIN DURANT: No (smiling). No.

First question, yeah, definitely you check the scores for all the best players in the league, and you want to see what they're doing and how they're contributing. You know, it's an inspiration to see different guys in the league. Whether it's guys coming up and showing who they are for the first time or guys that have been in the league for so long who continue to bring that consistency every year.

LeBron's one of those guys that in order for you to be great like that, you've got to do it, day after day after day. A lot of people don't have that mental capacity to even think about being that great every day, you know what I'm saying?

So that's inspiration right there. That's just motivation to be the best that you can be as well. So, yeah, obviously, you're looking at the best players all throughout the whole season, especially in the playoffs.

You know, I had a pretty solid career before I hit that shot, I felt.

Q. Obviously, Kevin, Game 7 was kind of a tale of two halves for you. Was learning to have a short memory something that you picked up recently? Was that something that you had to learn over the course of your career? How did you learn to develop that skill, and what sort of goes into that for you personally?
KEVIN DURANT: Well, this is my 11th year in the NBA. I know a lot of people probably didn't watch me play before I got to the Warriors. But I was in the league before I got here, and I learned a lot along that time. I actually won an MVP Award. I went to the Olympics. Scored a couple points.

So I gained some experience over that time, if you don't know. And I learned a lot about myself as a player over that time and what works for me.

I think having a short memory is good, obviously, but also reflecting back and seeing what you can pull from situations as well to make you better in the future. There is a balance that you have to have where you don't want to always look in the past or the present -- I mean the past or the future and stay in the present, but you want to see what you can take from your past and make your future better, if that makes sense.

So I was just trying to have a balance of the two. Always be a student and learn about the game every single day and take it from there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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